Manta Warfare
by QuickStrike15
Summary: Depth Charge hits another interspacial hot spot, and forced to face Rampage again. Second in the series.


Manta Warfare  
  
WRITTEN BY  
QuickStrike15  
(TieanBrice@aol.com)  
  
Depth Charge tumbles out of a portal, landing on his right foot and left knee, in a graceful warrior stance. He then stands.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "So, where the heck am I now? I've got to figure everything around here out." He looks around another Earth landscape, and holds the back of his neck with his right hand. "These portal things are taking me places, at precise moments. I need to know why. 'Cause if I don't, I won't be able to take out Rampage, once and for all!" He sees that he is at the top of a hill, looking over a calm river, leading to a waterfall. He descends the hill. When he reaches the bottom, and stands in front of the river, he gets an idea. "Well, I've got plenty of water here. I should transform to beast mode, and take a swim. It'll rejuvenate me while I'm away from a CR Chamber." He then jumps up, and transforms, diving flawlessly into the stream. After a short while, he examines his systems. "Computer, diagnostic scan."  
COMPUTER: "Power cells at 80%. All required programs will be open in 10 cycles."  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Great. After that tango with Rampage, didn't think I'd be back so soon." Explosions sound off nearby. "Missile fire! It's coming from the other side of the hill!" He swiftly swims around the hill. When he gets to the other side, he sees the scorpion robot from before, the one that attacked Cheetor. He is attacking a gorilla and velociraptor.  
"Optimus, Maximize!"  
"Dinobot, Maximize!" They transform into robots.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Optimal? Just like I thought, I'm somewhere in the past. The Axalon, somewhat familiar beast forms, this has got to be some kind of dimension where I haven't arrived on Earth yet. But this time, I'm here." He swims closer to the scorpion.  
OPTIMUS: "Dinobot!" Dinobot is smacked with a boulder. Depth Charge swims under Scorponok to get the drop on him.  
SCORPONOK: "I have a special cyber-bee just for you, Optimus Primal. Enjoy!" Optimus is hit in the chest with the cyber-bee. It turns red, and does something to his systems. Depth Charge sees. "No!" Scorponok is blasted, and the log he stands on flows down-stream, toward Depth Charge. "Gotta dodge--" But he's too late. The log hits him in the head, and he is knocked out. He falls to the bottom of the river, into a steady patch of mud. Scorponok then falls over the waterfall.  
DINOBOT: "Optimus..."  
  
***  
  
Depth Charge wakes up about a megacycle later.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "What happened? Optimus! Dinobot!" He swims out of the river, and transforms. No one's there. "Guess I was out for a while. They must have gone back to base. And I don't wanna deal with those base defenses. But I gotta know what that bug did to Primal! There has to be some way..." He puts his left hand to his chin, and strokes it. He starts pacing, when a portal opens in front of him, and he falls in.  
  
***  
  
A portal opens, and Depth Charge spews forth.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Whoa. Guess that was my way. If I'm in the right place." As he looks around a dark area, he hears voices. "That's it!" He listens in.  
CHEETOR: "You were supposed to be his backup!"  
DINOBOT: "We were ambushed. And don't tell me my duty, Furball, or you shall soon be occupying several recycling bins."  
CHEETOR: "Wanna try it now, Lizardlips?!"  
RATTRAP: "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, here. As much as I'd like to see you two scrap yourselves, save it for my birthday. Right now, we got bigger concerns." There's a pause. "Rhinox, what's the sitch?"  
RHINOX: "It looks like a viral mine. It's fused with his net core. He can't transform while the thing's attached."  
CHEETOR: "Well then let's get it off. He took enough Energon damage just getting back here."  
RHINOX: "Can't be done. The mine's re-routed all his life support functions to itself. We yank it, he lives for less than a minute."  
CHEETOR: "Whoa, that's bad."  
RHINOX: "Gets worse. Right after that the mine explodes, taking out everyone within sprintin' distance."  
CHEETOR: "Man, I don't get it. Why? For what?"  
DINOBOT: "A viral...mine, you say? I know Scorponok's creations. This one is intended to turn our leader into a coward, one who will lead us to defeat. Only Scorponok will have the anti-virus."  
RHINOX: "There's got to be a way to put the skids on--" The CR Chamber begins to rock. "Heh?" Cheetor gasps, followed by Rattrap. The chamber is blown open, and Optimus leaps out.  
OPTIMUS: "All right, who wants some?" Everyone huddles around Optimus. "Nobody--takes it off. Understand? You hear me? I'll blow your slaggin' heads off!"  
CHEETOR: "No, Big Bot!" Rhinox pins Optimus' arms to his sides. "Hold on, there!"  
OPTIMUS: "Get offa me!"  
DINOBOT: "Yes. Listen to him."  
OPTIMUS: "I don't fear you. I don't fear any of you!"  
RHINOX: "I thought that thing was supposed to turn him into a coward!"  
DINOBOT: "No doubt that was its intention. But Scorponok is notoriously incompetent. I will say instead that we have...a berserker. Interesting."  
CHEETOR: "Optimus can beat it. Come on, Big Bot, fight against it. You can do it! Please!"  
OPTIMUS: "It's too much...I can't--can't fight it! Disarm my weapons, lock me up!" Cheetor gasps.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "So, that's Primal's story. How are we gonna cure him? But first, how am I gonna get out of here?"  
  
***  
  
After disarming his weapons, Cheetor stares at him from the window.  
OPTIMUS: "What do you want?! Cheetor...Cheetor, I'm sorry. It's hard to control!"  
CHEETOR: "Is there any of the old Optimus left?"  
OPTIMUS: "Yes. Some."  
CHEETOR: "Don't let it go, Big Bot. Don't let this thing tweak you out of control."  
OPTIMUS: "I don't know if I can beat it. But I think I can...adapt to it. Maybe hold this aggression down, even use it to our advantage."  
CHEETOR: "Really? I knew it! You hang too tough to be dropped by any techno-flu! Let's do it."  
  
***  
  
The remaining Maximals decide on their next move.  
RHINOX: "What do you mean 'use it to our advantage'?"  
DINOBOT: "Optimus is a war machine. I say we point him in the right direction, give him full armament, and then unleash him upon the Predacons. If we want the anti-virus, that is the only way to get it."  
RATTRAP: "Eh-hey-hey-hey. Normally, I would love to see the Preds get their little scheme tossed right back at 'em, but you're forgettin' just one little thing."  
DINOBOT: "Oh. And that would be?"  
RHINOX: "Optimus would get blown to scrap. Big problem."  
DINOBOT: "Well, that depends on your viewpoint."  
RATTRAP: "Eh-hey-hey, shut up!"  
OPTIMUS: "Actually, that's not a bad idea." Cheetor enters the room, supporting the ailing Optimus.  
RHINOX: "Cheetor, what have you done?!"  
CHEETOR: "It's gonna be okay. Optimus has got it under his thumb. Tell 'em, Big Bot."  
OPTIMUS: "I--I think I can do this. By channeling this new fighting instinct, we can storm their base. And with your help, obtain the anti-virus."  
CHEETOR: "Yeah, piece of basic programming. We blast our way into Scorponok's lab for the anti-virus. All we want is to get Big Bot here back to normal."  
RATTRAP: "Yeah. And, uh, what if he goes ape-slag on us?"  
DINOBOT: "Fine by me."  
OPTIMUS: "Hey, they made me what I am today. So I figure it's time to say thank you. Now! Yeah!" He uses his arm cannons, and starts blasting the base to pieces. The alarms blare, and red emergency lights flash. "Stupid slagging circuit systems! Shut up!" He shoots out all of the lights.  
RHINOX: "Stop him before he hurts himself!"  
RATTRAP: "Him? Try us!" Rhinox finds an opening, and tackles Optimus.  
CHEETOR: "Keep his arm down!"  
RHINOX: "Watch that laser!" Optimus shoves everyone off of him.  
OPTIMUS: "You don't understand. It's like Dinobot says. We gotta hit the Preds the only way they understand! Hard...fast...and right where it hurts." He accesses his battle blades. "But if your caution circuits overriding your courage, then smelt you all! I don't need you. I'll handle this myself." He activates his battle visor, and steps into the elevator.  
CHEETOR: "Optimus! Big Bot, no."  
  
***  
  
DINOBOT: "This is not the way, Cheetor."  
CHEETOR: "We gotta back him up!"  
DINOBOT: "It is a doomed mission! There's no strategy, just blind aggression!"  
CHEETOR: "Maybe that's what we've been needing. A little less brain and a little more guts!"  
DINOBOT: "We must try to think what Optimus--the old Optimus would do."  
CHEETOR: "And that would be?"  
DINOBOT: "Negotiate." The Maximals step outside. Cheetor accesses him Com-Link.  
CHEETOR: "Predacon Base, come in!"  
  
***  
  
Megatron connects at the other end.  
MEGATRON: "Hmm, Pussycat, yes. State your business."  
  
***  
  
CHEETOR: "Listen up, you miswired metalheads. You botched up your little attitude adjustment on Optimus. He's flaming towards you on the redeye express, and he's loaded for mainframe combat. So what do you say you fork over that anti-virus before you get vaped."  
  
***  
  
MEGATRON: "Any renegade Maximal who blunders into our base will...not survive. Megatron out." He disconnects.  
  
***  
  
CHEETOR: "Beast Mode."  
RATTRAP: "Well?"  
CHEETOR: "It didn't work! All we did was tip 'em off, and now they're gonna be waiting for him!" He stares at Dinobot. "You and your bright ideas!"  
DINOBOT: "It would appear that only Optimus can truly think like Optimus. For the rest of us, we must now...think on our own."  
  
***  
  
Optimus roars into the Predacon Base airspace, and begins firing randomly at it. The base shakes.  
MEGATRON: "Report."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Three direct hits. Outer hull has been breached." Megatron activates his Com system.  
MEGATRON: "Tarantulas, destroy the intruder!"  
Optimus walks down a dark hall, and soon meets up with Tarantulas. The Predacon spider laughs, and fires an arrow at him. He grabs it, and stomps toward Tarantulas. He then begins shooting bullets from his spider legs. Optimus is pelted, but struggles forward. Eventually, he comes face to face with Tarantulas, and pins him to the wall. He then takes the arrow, and sticks it through Tarantulas. He continues on.  
BLACKARACHNIA: "He's inside, and the other Maximals are coming."  
MEGATRON: "Take Terrorsaur and defend the perimeter. Waspinator, stop Optimus now."  
WASPINATOR: "Oooh, Waspinator get him!" He takes out his blaster, and looks around. He hears Optimus roaring, and ducks behind a wall. He hears Optimus' stomping grow closer, and is then taken by surprise when Optimus crashes through the wall, and grabs him. He is then blasted.   
  
***  
  
The Maximals reach the Predacon Base, and face Blackarachnia and Terrorsaur. They fire at each other.  
  
***  
  
A portal opens, and Depth Charge walks out from it.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Okay, time to get my bearings." He hears an explosion. "Whoa!" He looks down, to see the Predacon Base under attack. "I guess that's why I'm here. I gotta make sure Primal doesn't get his head blown off." He takes off toward the base, when he is slammed in the face with a rifle barrel, forcing him to the ground. He clenches his face. "Ow! What the--" He looks in front of him, to find his arch nemesis. "Rampage." He focuses his optic sensors.  
RAMPAGE: "Greetings again, friend. How have you been? I'm been doing quite well, except for this nagging alternate dimension, from which I cannot escape! And you, you shall pay for banishing me to this place!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "First off, the way I remember it, you tried to slag me, and you ended up getting what was coming to ya. And second, I think I'm paying by being near your slimy slaggin' self!" He leaps up like lightning, and tackles Rampage. They both then tumble down the hill wrestling each other.  
RAMPAGE: "Why must my fate inexplicably be tied to yours?!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "You signed that contract the day you treated my home colony like a buffet, creep!" They reach the bottom of the hill, hit the ground, and separate. They draw their weapons, and start firing at each other. "I'm getting rid of you tonight, and all of my problems will be solved forever!"  
RAMPAGE: "In death or life, I'll haunt your spark until I can truly be at peace!"  
  
***  
  
Optimus thinks.  
CHEETOR: "Is there any of the old Optimus left? Don't let it go, Big Bot. Don't let this thing tweak you out of control."  
OPTIMUS: "Cheetor...Cheetor." He struggles forward.  
  
***  
  
Rhinox finds a lull in the battle.  
RHINOX: "Cheetor, now!"  
CHEETOR: "Beast Mode!" He transforms, and scrambles inside the base. Depth Charge sees them enter.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Good, they've got Primal's back. Now I can focus all of my attention on slagging you , X!" Depth Charge gives Rampage a spin kick in the face, somersaulting the Predacon's entire giant body once before he hits the ground, landing on his back. Rampage goes for his missile launcher, but Depth Charge stands on his hand.  
RAMPAGE: "Aah! Why does it always end like this?!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Hmm, that's funny, I don't remember ever cutting out your twisted spark and feeding it to you before!" Depth Charge reaches into a compartment, and pulls out an Energon knife. "This time, it's finally over. You've got none of your precious Predacons pals to hide behind!"  
  
***  
  
Optimus gets inside Scorponok's lab. He finds the anti-virus' holding chamber, but not the anti-virus itself.  
MEGATRON: "Looking for this, perhaps? Guerrilla warfare suits you. The old Optimus would have never made it this far."  
OPTIMUS: "What is it you want?"  
MEGATRON: "Your allegiance, in exchange for this anti-virus, yes."  
OPTIMUS: "And if I refuse?"  
MEGATRON: "You cannot refuse, no. Not if you want to survive. Join me, or perish!"  
OPTIMUS: "Oh, yes! Then why not end this here and now, Megatron?!" He grabs his chest, and rips the cyber-bee clean off.  
MEGATRON: "You fool! You'll destroy us all!" He takes off in the other direction.  
OPTIMUS: "Just a little trick I learned from a flower, Megatron!" He throws it. As Megatron runs away, the cyber-bee attaches to his back, right where he can't reach. Megatron loses the anti-virus, and it flies into the air.  
MEGATRON: "Scorponok!" Cheetor rushes in, jumps into the air, transforms, and grabs the anti-virus.  
OPTIMUS: "Spark...fading."  
CHEETOR: "Hang on, Big Bot. Got the anti-virus right here." He jams the prod into Optimus' systems, healing him. "Yes! We're online! Let's bail before that thing blows!" He helps Optimus to escape, as Megatron runs to Scorponok to remove the cyber-bee.  
MEGATRON: "Get this thing offa me, now!"  
  
***  
  
Depth Charge prepares his cut.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "For Colony Omicron!" An explosion occurs, which stirs the ground underneath the Predacon Base. Depth Charge loses his balance, and falls. Rampage stands, grabs his missile launcher, and leaves the scene.  
RAMPAGE: "Another time, my fishy friend!" Depth Charge pounds his fist into the ground.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "No! I was so close!" A warp opens, and Depth Charge is sucked into it.  
  
***  
  
Depth Charge arrives inside the Maximal Base. "Okay, where am I now? The Axalon is pretty difficult to navigate when you don't come in through the front door." He hears voices, and listens in.  
OPTIMUS: "Bedside vigil, Dinobot? Not like you."  
DINOBOT: "It was...my shift. Well...it's good to...have you back." He stands up.  
OPTIMUS: "Back home, or back to normal?"  
DINOBOT: "...Both." Doors open, and Dinobot steps out.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "So, at least Primal's back to his usual self. I still don't have Rampage, and I'm still stuck in this weird time warp. I'm not sure this will ever get better, but I might as well keep trying." A portal opens. "Just as I expected." He walks through. 


End file.
